(News)- Top HS Student Fights For Valedictorian Spot #LadariusSapho

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Normally our content on GYBU is restricted to new music, music news, and the like; however today a news story touched close to home for me and I decided to use this website as a platform to share this story.

On Saturday, May 24th, Ladarius Sapho should be enjoying his graduation as valedictorian at Proviso East High School. He has a grade point average of 4.135—his honors classes account for this uncharacteristically high number. Instead he has been denied this opportunity to speak and be honored all because he broke a rule that does not seem to exist. Last week Proviso East Principal Tony Valente told Ladarius that he and the number two student did not qualify for the honors credits because both students started at the school as sophomores after moving into the district. Principle Valente stated that policy requires they must have attended for at least seven semesters to earn honors, however Proviso East handbook had no written policy saying seven semesters were required to graduate.

Before I continue, allow me to interject with my insight about this particular High School as I attended the school for several years. Proviso East is better known for producing basketball players (Doc Rives, Michael Finley, Dee Brown, Shannon Brown, Steven Hunter and football players, notably Ray Buchanan). East is also known for gang violence and being a very poor school. Though the school now has the opportunity to showcase exception academic performance, they are choosing not to in an appalling display of bureaucratic abuse.

Sapho, along with one other transfer student, was summoned to Principal’s Valente office and was offered co-valedictorian and co-salutatorian positions. “We were having a competition, me and her, who’s going to be number one and who’s going to be number two,” Sapho said. Sapho accepted the co-valedictorian position, but declined to make a speech. He will graduate May 24.

Sapho has chosen to attend University of Hawaii-Pacific in Honolulu. He plans to major in biochemistry with the goal of obtaining a PhD and becoming a doctor. He’ll travel to the islands for the first time in July to “get settled in my dorm early,” he said.

His advice for entering freshmen: “Set your goal, go for your goal and don’t let anyone else take you down.” And “Even though [Valente] took the valedictorian [title] away from me, in my heart I knew I met my goal. In your heart you know you can achieve something and that’s all that matters,” he continued.

I’m glad that this young man has been able to keep his head up during this entire process, but it is obvious that though over fifteen years have passed since I attended Proviso East, the High School is still making major mistakes.

Here are a couple links to learn more about the story http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/25589851/top-hs-student-fights-for-valedictorian-spot
http://www.forestparkreview.com/News/Articles/5-19-2014/Valedictorian-dispute-settled-by-Proviso-East/

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